CYOA

=Choose Your Own Adventure a Hyperlinked Fiction Decision Tree Model=

//Teacher Demo by Tonya Witherspoon // A hyperlinked fiction model is a story structure that enables students to create decision-tree models, also known as "action mazes," "tree literature," "plot branching" or "choose your own adventure stories.” This structure consists of short sections of narrative, each ending with a choice for the reader that determines what happens next and thus which section of narrative the reader is presented with next. This type of story can also be called a perpetual story or a never-ending story.

Setting The Stage:
Read a selection of adventure stories. Discuss what makes each story interesting. Point out the descriptive words, rising action, and plot development. After discussing the various stories, students will plan and write their own adventure story.

Sample CYOA Stories:
http://www.att.com/ehs/riptide/story.cgi?nt=beach/open.dat&bk=
 * Riptide**

http://friend.ly.net/users/jorban/adventure/page01.html Interactive Choose Your Own Adventure story for and about children. A good example to share with the class.
 * Dunnbar Bound**

http://www.angelfire.com/wy/lemmingpie/redwallcyoa.html Choose Your Own Adventure stories based on the Redwall series. An added advantage to this site is that students can look at submissions from writers who write a Redwall-based adventure. Could be a real challenge to students.
 * The Redwall Series**

http://www.eastbourne.vic.edu.au/special/cyoaindex.htm Five Choose Your Own Adventure stories written by 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students in Eastbourne's talented and gifted program.
 * Sample Choose Your Own Adventure Stories**

http://edtech4teachers.com/scary
 * Pretty Prairie 4/5 Grade Classroom Choose Your Own Adventure Story**

http://edtech4teachers.com/sterling/myth6a.htm http://edtech4teachers.com/sterling/myth6b.htm
 * Sterling Elementary Create Your Own Adventure Myths**

Pre-Writing
http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/diary/index.htm
 * Descriptive Writing With Virginia Hamilton**

http://www.webenglishteacher.com/descriptive.html
 * Web English Teacher Descriptive Writing**


 * Using Picture Books to Teach Plot Development and Conflict Resolution
 * http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=803


 * Literature: Constructing Plot
 * http://www.learner.org/exhibits/literature/read/plot1.html

Writing:
Provide students with an initial prompt. The prompt should start the story, provide the setting, main characters, and end with two possible choices creating the first decision. Divide students into two groups. Each group will write the continuation of the story from one of the decision points. Each continuation will have two more choices. Students will be divided into smaller groups for each split in the story until finally the students are writing their own endings. One student from each group will take the lead in writing, trading off so that each student has a chance to be the lead writer.

Editing:
Students are highly engaged in the creation of the story. Because the story is written in pieces several writing errors are usually made. Students will edit for: tense, point of view, word choice, etc.


 * Things to Remember:**
 * Sign in as yourself before you begin writing.
 * Make new page names short and unique – they are not titles – but rather linking words and they must all be unique so as not to save over someone else’s.
 * Hit SAVE often!
 * To spell check: Copy and paste into Word, make corrections, copy and paste back into the wiki.

Publishing:
Wikis make hyperlinking the story choices together really easy. Each new choice will be a new page linked to the page before it. Publishing the finished story on the internet also allows students to publish to a broad and authentic audience.

Learning Outcomes:

 * Students will use imaginative details and descriptions in their writing.
 * Students will use action verbs and modifying adverbs to improve their writing.
 * Students will create a problem or conflict that the main character of their story must face.
 * Students will use correct spelling and punctuation in their story.
 * Students will use the writing process by means of prewriting, drafting, and editing their story.
 * Students will improve their writing skills based on the 6+1 Writing Trait Model

[|NCTE/IRA Standards][|]
3 - Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).

5 - Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

6 - Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.

8 - Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

11 - Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.

Math Connection:
How many possible stories can be read? Share the strategy you used to calculate your answer. Can you write this as a mathematical equation?

1. Ideas

 * There is an appropriate balance of showing and telling
 * Having quality details are more important than having quantity details
 * A unique idea or approach is being written about
 * Bigger topics are supported by sub-topics
 * The writing centers around thesis statements or main idea statements

2. Organization

 * The writing comes to a satisfying conclusion
 * Transitions are used to move the idea along logically
 * Paragraphs are written with purpose

3. Voice

 * The writing shows an awareness of an audience
 * The writer shows a passion towards the topic
 * The writer has used devices of style (such as figurative language), when appropriate
 * The writer has captured a tone or mood (including humor) with words, when appropriate
 * The writing shows awareness of perspective and point-of-view

4. Word Choice

 * The writer understands the importance of strong verbs
 * The writer understands the importance of precise nouns
 * The writer understands the importance of interesting adjectives
 * The writer has taken risks with words
 * If appropriate, the writer has used alliteration or other types of sound devices

5. Sentence Fluency

 * A variety of transitions are used
 * A variety of sentence beginnings are used
 * A variety of sentence lengths are used
 * When reading the writing aloud, the words sound natural
 * Complex and simple sentences are used to promote rhythm in the language

6. Conventions

 * Spelling is correct enough to not distract from the writer's message
 * Grammar is correct enough to not distract from the writer's message
 * External punctuation (periods, question marks, and exclamation points) is used correctly
 * Internal punctuation (commas, apostrophes, semi-colons, quotation marks) is competent.
 * The writer uses capitalization rules flawlessly
 * Fragment sentences are used to promote style

+1. Presentation
Presentation combines both visual and verbal elements. It is the way we "exhibit" our message on paper. Even if our ideas, words, and sentences are vivid, precise, and well constructed, the piece will not be inviting to read unless the guidelines of presentation are present.

Additional Resources:
http://www.writingfix.com/leftbrain/Build_an_adventure.htm
 * Build an Adventure Story @ Writing Fix**

http://www.pbs.org/kratts/crazy/madlibs/
 * Create Your Own Adventure @ PBS**

http://www.infinite-story.com/
 * What if Builder – Software for your Palm**

http://www.fremont.k12.ca.us/blacow/assets/projectsol/lessons/adventure.html
 * CYOA Lesson Plans**

[|http://www.humboldt.edu/%7Eengl406/2003d/par23.html]
 * Teacher intro and lesson plan**

http://dmoz.org/Games/Video_Games/Adventure/Browser_Based/desc.html
 * Huge List of CYOA Resources**

[|Student Reflective Journal Assessment] === =

Example Assessment
Make your own rubric at [|Rubistar.]

Assessment Rubric
9-10 points**
 * 7-8 points**
 * 5-6 points**
 * 3-4 points**

Creativity

 * The story contains many creative details and/or descriptions that contribute to the reader's enjoyment. The author has really used his imagination.
 * The story contains a few creative details and/or descriptions that contribute to the reader's enjoyment. The author has used his imagination.
 * The story contains a few creative details and/or descriptions, but they distract from the story. The author has tried to use his imagination.
 * There is little evidence of creativity in the story. The author does not seem to have used much imagination.


 * Action**
 * Several action verbs (active voice) are used to describe what is happening in the story. The story seems exciting!
 * Several action verbs are used to describe what is happening in the story, but the word choice doesn't make the story as exciting as it could be.
 * A variety of verbs (passive voice) are used and describe the action accurately but not in a very exciting way.
 * Little variety seen in the verbs that are used. The story seems a little boring.


 * Problem/Conflict**
 * It is very easy for the reader to understand the problem the main characters face and why it is a problem.
 * It is fairly easy for the reader to understand the problem the main characters face and why it is a problem.
 * It is fairly easy for the reader to understand the problem the main characters face but it is not clear why it is a problem.
 * It is not clear what problem the main characters face.


 * Spelling and Punctuation**
 * There are no spelling or punctuation errors in the final draft. Character and place names that the author invented are spelled consistently throughout.
 * There is one spelling or punctuation error in the final draft.
 * There are 2-3 spelling and punctuation errors in the final draft.
 * The final draft has more than 3 spelling and punctuation errors.


 * Writing Process**
 * Student devotes a lot of time and effort to the writing process (prewriting, drafting, reviewing, and editing). Works hard to make the story wonderful.
 * Student devotes sufficient time and effort to the writing process (prewriting, drafting, reviewing, and editing). Works and gets the job done.
 * Student devotes some time and effort to the writing process but was not very thorough. Does enough to get by.
 * Student devotes little time and effort to the writing process. Doesn't seem to care.